Robinson R22 Beta II Helicopter Accident at Alldays Game Pens, Limpopo (ZS-HGS)

Accident Overview and Location Details On the morning of 20 May 2024, a Robinson Helicopter Company R22 Beta II helicopter, bearing the registration ZS-HGS, was involved in an accident at Alldays Game Pens in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The incident occurred at 0803Z at GPS coordinates 22°40'33.26'' S and 029°05'39.13'' E, at an elevation of 2,742 feet. The flight was a private operation under Part 91 of the Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR) 2011, intended to travel six nautical miles to a nearby game farm to assess game availability. ## Aircraft and Pilot Information The helicopter, serial number 4330, had a total of 358.8 airframe hours at the time of the accident. It was equipped with skid gear and had its doors removed. The pilot-in-command was a 52-year-old male holding a valid Private Pilot Licence (PPL) and a Class 2 aviation medical certificate. He had a total of 6,400.1 flight hours, with 6,361.6 hours on the helicopter type. The pilot had a medical restriction requiring corrective lenses for defective near vision. ## Sequence of Events The pilot conducted a pre-flight inspection and noted no anomalies. The helicopter was parked and secured on a trailer bed, with fuel topped up to three-quarters in both the main and auxiliary tanks. With the assistance of a friend, the pilot loosened the skid gear, which was tied down to the trailer using brackets, and removed the main rotor blade support frames. The brackets and supporting equipment were left on the front section of the trailer platform rather than being secured in a designated container. During take-off, the pilot reported a sudden pull and yaw to the left. He attempted to rectify the situation, but the main rotor blades struck the ground, and the helicopter fell over onto its left side. The pilot vacated the helicopter unharmed. ## Damage and Investigation The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, main rotor blades, and tail boom, which was severed by the main rotor blades. The front section of the left skid gear also broke off. The accident was reported to the Accident and Incident Investigations Division (AIID) on 10 June 2024, 21 days after the occurrence, which contravened Part 12.02.1 of the CAR 2011. The wreckage had been recovered to Wonderboom Aerodrome (FAWB) and kept in a hangar. ## Probable Cause and Contributing Factors The probable cause of the accident was that the helicopter exceeded the critical roll angle on take-off, causing the main rotor blades to strike the ground, whereupon the helicopter rolled over to the left and crashed next to the trailer. No contributing factors were identified. The report notes that the trailer, which was custom-built, lacked a secure container for tie-down brackets and tools, and featured a side wall frame that had the potential to act as a pivot point.